Medlin
A surname most often treated as a regional English name, probably from a place-name or a reduced form of an older medieval name.
The #3,338 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 28,721 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Medlin is likely an English surname that developed from a place-name or from a shortened medieval personal name. The first element is often taken to be related to an Old English or medieval English root such as "middle" or a similar localizing form, but the exact source is not certain. In some cases surnames of this shape can also reflect a reduced or altered form of a longer name brought into a local dialect. Because the documentary evidence is thin, the safest explanation is that it is a later English surname with uncertain precise derivation.
History
The surname is found in English-speaking countries, especially the United States, where it likely spread through migration from Britain and later internal movement. Spellings of this kind often became fixed only after families moved into new regions, which can make the original form harder to trace. Modern bearers may not share a single ancestral line, since similar surnames can arise independently in different places.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Surnames like Medlin often preserve older local pronunciation patterns, so a modern short spelling can hide a much older or longer original form.